Latest Gear Live Videos

We show you the Plantronics Gamecom 780 7.1 surround sound PC gaming headphones in this episode! Powered by Dolby technology, the Gamecom 780 delivers 7.1 surround sound with Dolby Headphone and Dolby Pro Logic IIx. The speakers in the earcups are 40-millimeter and provide thumping bass and immersive stereo sound. For chat and in-game communication, there's a built-in noise-canceling microphone that eliminates background noise so that the people you're playing with can hear you clearly, and for those times when you want silence (or when you want to remain stealthy,) there are volume controls and a microphone mute switch right on the earcups. One other nice touch is the swiveling earcup joints that make for easy storage. You can pick up the Plantronics GameCom 780 on Amazon for $79.

Advertisement

We are big fans of LDW games. They will be releasing their latest, Virtual Families, on April 22. Sim fans and those who have played the Virtual Villagers series will dig this one as well. Running in real time, you adopt a character, introduce him/her to a mate, and make babies. There are plenty of features that are in their other titles as well as new ones that include pets, repairing your house and items for “purchase.” We got a recent peek and if you want something that you can play forever with multiple generations, Virtual Families is your game. Both PC and Mac compatible, sign up if you would like to be notified when it comes out.

Disney Interactive Studios is pretty clever by appealing to the tween market with their karaoke video game called “Disney Sing It.” Featured are 35 songs from the movies such as “Camp Rock,” and “High School Musical,” and artists like Miley Cyrus and Jesse McCartney. Available in October for Xbox 360, Playstation 2 & 3, Nintendo Wii, and Windows-based PCs, there are multi-player modes that include duet and team competition. We predict this to be a hot seller for the holiday season, so you might want to grab one as soon as it’s released.

Fans of horror movies can get their violent stress relief with The Torture Game 2. It’s a bit disconcerting that anyone can take the simplistic animated body and use a chainsaw, spikes, razor blades, rope, shotgun, or other techniques to disable her/his victim. The chainsaw makes appropriate sound effects. If you feel the game is too much gore, don’t let the kids take a whack at it either. We suspect that the next game will feature water boarding.

If you are more of the Guitar Hero type than a Virtual Village fanatic then make plans Saturday, June 14 to cram into your nearest Toys R Us with about a gazillion other Nintendo DS owners to witness the preview of the new version of the game, “On Tour.” Between 12:00 and 4:00 p.m., the sneak preview is supposed to include hands on testing before its release June 22. Pre-order and get a “Limited Edition” pick/stylus throne in. We figure, unless you are a really big guy, you have better settle for the sticker, dog tag, and temp tattoo to prove you got in the door.

LDW (Last Day of Work) has finally released the latest in their Virtual Villagers series. This time around, VV3: The Secret City goes back to the island of Isola, or rather another side of it with a combination of simulation, adventure, and virtual inhabitants . While this game plays pretty much like its predecessors, such as being able to adjust level of difficulty and speed, there are plenty of new features. Our highlights of VV3 and additional screenshots after the jump.

Once a Tetris fan, always a Tetris fan. If you still play it or see pictures of it in your head, you can now sit on the Milan Design award winner. The TT chair is made with a polyester cover and internal PVC coating and comes in your choice of blue, khaki, grey, orange, lead, or black. Lightweight, it can be used indoors or out with its water, oil, and soil-resistant teflon coating. At a size of 30 x 52 × 68cm, each is available for ¥23,000 (~$23.00.)

Harold Clay was burned at school today after his PSP caught fire in his pants pocket. Knowing what to do, the 12 year-old dropped and rolled when he felt it heating up. The middle school student from Metro Detroit’s Farmington Hills was treated at a nearby hospital for minor burns. The portable game system was confiscated by local police to investigate the cause of the blow-up. A local news station called Sony where a spokesperson claims it is the first occurrence of overheating. We are not sure if that is the case, we are just surprised that the PSP was allowed in school in the first place. By the way, Burn Out was the game inside the PSP at the time of the accident.

You really knew you were hooked on Tetris when you would see those awful shapes in your head hours after finishing your last marathon. Prepare to do that again in 3D with Tetrical. Developed by Digital Machina, the flash game works pretty much like the original once you get the hang of the shift, control, and arrow keys. You also need the

, +, and - keys for angles and adjustments. Ready for the challenge? Don’t say we didn’t warn you about its addiction.

After receiving a partial grant from the National Science Foundation, the Apple Valley, Minn. Zoo developed “WolfQuest,” a free interactive video game. Designed to teach kids about wildlife, users play wolves in Yellowstone National Park. They must hunt, defend their territory, survive, mate, and establish their own pack.

Grant Spickelmier, assistant education director, is hoping that kids will find the game both educational and enjoyable, and will make them more interested in wolf conservation and biology. The game, which has released its first episode, is aimed at those between the ages of 10 to 15, but we know some older kids around here that think it might be worth the download.